Newsletter: Essential California: Bankruptcy for American Apparel

Good morning. It is Tuesday, Oct. 6. It's Fleet Week in San Francisco. Here's what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Right to die

California became the fifth state to allow doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients. "In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death," said Gov. Jerry Brown, a former Jesuit seminary student, as he signed the bill into law. It's a milestone for the "death with dignity" campaign, which picked up momentum when Californian Brittany Maynard went public with her decision to move to Oregon and end her life, rather than succumb to terminal brain cancer. The bill was opposed by the Catholic Church, among others. Los Angeles Times

Affordable housing

On the eastern edge of the Coachella Valley are dozens of unpermitted mobile homes, many inhabited by the region's farmworkers. The homes can have problems getting reliable electricity and clean water, but officials say it would be costly to bring the parks up to code. At the same time, the area lacks other affordable housing options. "How long has it been like this, since the '60s? It's like the abyss of the Valley. We get left out of the California dream," advocate Michele Hasson said. Los Angeles Times

L.A. original

American Apparel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday. The company has reached agreements with most of its lenders to implement a financial restructuring. Once the plan is approved and American Apparel emerges from bankruptcy, it would be a private company. "The debt structure was the biggest impediment that we have. When you have over $300 million in debt and are paying $35 million-plus in interest rates, it's not a sustainable business model," Chief Executive Paula Schneider said. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT

Falling short: The city of Newport Beach continues to struggle with water use. Between June and August, the city fell short of its conservation goals. "I think it's hard for people to understand what their usage is. We should make it easier," Mayor Ed Selich said. Daily Pilot

Rapids return: The New Melones Reservoir is at about 10% capacity, but some folks see a silver lining: the reemergence of rapids. "Look above us now. Look downstream ... 40 feet above our heads would be reservoir in full season," activist Mark Dubois said. KQED

L.A. AT LARGE

Transit grades: In a new study, Metro received a C for the state of its light-rail and subway stations. The lowest-performing stations were found along the Metro Blue Line, which is the one of the nation’s busiest light-rail lines. In contrast, San Francisco's MUNI and Bay Area Rapid Transit received the highest marks. Los Angeles Times

Landmark returns: Since Clifton's cafeteria reopened last week, more than 14,000 customers have stopped by the downtown restaurant. A line stretched down the block on Sunday. The wait for a meal clocked in at one hour. "When you grew up [going] here, the wait is nothing," one customer said. Los Angeles Times

Immigration checks: L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell is defending a decision to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to question some violent inmates in Los Angeles County's jails. "ICE is not roaming the jails as some have put forward. There is a strict protocol in place that has to be met before ICE can interview an inmate," McDonnell said. NBC 4

Religious leader dies: A longtime leader in Los Angeles' Jewish community has died at age 95. Rabbi Jacob Pressman served at Temple Beth Am for more than 35 years. "There is no Jewish Los Angeles as we know it without Rabbi Jacob Pressman," Rabbi Adam Kligfeld said. Los Angeles Times

ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA DESIGN CONTEST

Congratulations to Daniel Adoff, the winner of the Essential California tote bag contest. Adoff is a graphic designer and illustrator. "When I was creating this design, I thought about all of the things I love about this diverse state. It was hard to put everything that I love about California all in one illustration so I cherry-picked some important things that stood out when I thought of my beloved state," Adoff said.

You can order your own Essential California tote bag here. Please allow up to four weeks for delivery.

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Housing lawsuit: Residents are suing the city of Los Angeles over a home once occupied by Marilyn Monroe. The Save Valley Village lawsuit accuses City Council members of flouting state law when they approved a condominium development on the site on Monroe's former home. The house was torn down just days before a city commission met to consider its application for landmark status. Los Angeles Times

Listening tour: Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa continues to test the waters for a possible gubernatorial run. He will be in Tulare County to meet with students, politicians and Latino leaders. "What better time to have a high-profile Latino leader than Hispanic Heritage Month in a county where the majority of residents are overwhelmingly Latino," even if they "generate low voter turnout as a community," said Ruben Macareno, chairman of the Tulare County Democratic Party. Visalia Times-Delta

Legislative disappointment: A state senator who authored a bill that would have outlawed drones from flying near fires called Gov. Jerry Brown's decision to veto the law "dumb." The governor rejected the bill, saying the state's criminal code is becoming overly complicated. "I think it's dumb. Aren't we supposed to be protecting the public?" state Sen. Ted Gaines said. 89.3 KPCC

CRIME AND COURTS

LAPD shooting: A man shot and killed by Los Angeles police had thrown a beer bottle through the rear window of a squad car, leading the officers inside to believe that they were being fired upon. The shooting took place Saturday night in Van Nuys. "The primary thing to look at here is: Were the officers' perceptions reasonable? Not were they correct, but were they reasonable?" LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said. Los Angeles Times

Prison temperatures: Inside the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, temperatures are becoming unbearable, according to inmate and prison employees. At times, the concrete cells can be 20 degrees hotter than outside. "You don't sleep at night. You're irritable. There's always the potential for violence because of that," said one inmate. San Diego Union-Tribune

Plot foiled: Police believe that a group of male students planned to go on a shooting rampage at their high school near Yosemite National Park. Students at Summerville Union High School overheard the boys discussing their plans and notified school officials. The Tuolumne County sheriff's detectives uncovered the plot one day before a gunman opened fire at a community college in Oregon. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Undercover actor: Actor Daniel Wu is huge in China, having starred in more than 60 films and major advertising campaigns. But in his hometown? "Not once during our afternoon in his hometown of Orinda, a posh suburb east of San Francisco, does anyone recognize him." California Sunday Magazine

On guard: A 20-pound French bulldog takes her protection duties seriously. Jules, the dog, recently scared off three bears who tried to hang out at a Monrovia home. Los Angeles Times

More gentrification: Mid-Market is the latest part of San Francisco to get a makeover. "A new culinary scene has been born seemingly overnight, the child of a three-way love affair among real estate developers, tech workers and food professionals that many say is unprecedented." New York Times

Customer base: Big companies are trying to connect with small, Asian American-owned businesses in Orange County. At the California Asian Business Summit, AT&T spent $50,000 to be the event's "diamond" sponsor. "It was a chance to shore up diversity cred with the fastest-growing consumer market in the United States.” Orange County Register

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Francisco will have areas of low clouds, with temperatures reaching 68 degrees. Riverside will be mostly sunny and 79. In Los Angeles, it will be sunny and 79 degrees. San Diego will be partly sunny and 75.

AND FINALLY

Today's California Memory comes from Marti Treckman:

"My husband, Joe, and I moved with our then four daughters to Inglewood in spring 1963, moving in October to Hawthorne. One day I walked out the front door and saw the most beautiful range of mountains (the San Gabriels), and I had never seen them before. We had come from Denver, so it was really a thrill, as we were missing our mountains. I called out, 'Oh, Joe, come and look! There are mountains here!' I guess there was so much smog, they had been obscured for the six months we had lived there. How beautiful they are!"

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.